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Aiming Left Of Centre

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UTILITY value has been a blessing in disguise in kick-starting Jordan Kahu’s career.

But now he wants to play in the same jumper every week.

Kahu swapped in and out of the left centre position at training this week and is in the frame to assume the jersey vacated by the retirement of Jack Reed.

The position has plenty of suitors – veteran Benji Marshall has arrived in Brisbane wanting to re-establish his running game, ex-Titan David Mead has moved up the freeway from the Gold Coast and Tom Opacic showed he was an NRL player in that very spot last year.

However Opacic will not be ready for round one after dual shoulder reconstructions, and Mead has looked very comfortable training on the right wing outside his old teammate James Roberts.

Kahu has shown himself to be a classy fill-in at centre, wing or fullback since making his NRL debut for the Broncos in 2013, a role he has re-produced at Test level for New Zealand.

But now he would like to make himself a specialist with that left centre spot up for grabs.

“I will put my hand up to play there and I played there when ‘Reedy’ was out last year,” he said.

“Personally I can adapt to a position I am given – I think it is one of my good traits. I am pretty reliable, I guess.

“What has helped me throughout my career is I have been able to play different position – if I was just after fullback I might not even be here now.”

Senior Bronco Sam Thaiday backed the 25-year-old to do the job in 2017.

"I'd love to see him locked into a centre position - he's fantastic in that position," said Thaiday.

"His biggest fault is that he's a great winger and a great finisher for us so we like him out on the wing.

"We'll have a bit of a play-around with that but the best thing about him is that he can play any position in the outside backs.

"He's a great player and a great asset to our team but I hope he does get a centre spot this year."